Muscular thermal support sheath



June 4, 1963 M. w. DUENSING 3,

MUSCULAR THERMAL SUPPORT SHEATH Filed July S, 1962 TIE l T118: 2

INVENTOR.

MAURICE. W DUENSI NG ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,092,110 MUSCULAR THERMAL SUPPQRT SHEATH Maurice W. Duensing, 1783 Hamlet St., San Mateo, Calif. Filed July 3, 1962, Ser. No. 207,302 2 Claims. (Cl. 128-293) This application relates to a muscular thermal support sheath and embodies improvements over my copending application on a Sheath for Retaining Heat of Body Temperature and Supporting Muscle Structure of Wearer, Serial No. 127,665, which was filed in the United States Patent Ofiice on July 28, 1961.

An object of my invention is to provide a sheath which is designed for the thermal control and support of the quadriceps muscle group in the anterior aspect of the thigh and the biceps or ham string muscle group in the posterior aspect of the thigh. Resilient pads are secured to the inner surface of the sheath to provide directional support for each musicle group to restrain them toward their normal or passive position.

Moreover, the sheath serves as an insulation to retain body heat which, in effect, causes the muscle structure to be more relaxed and less susceptible to pulling, strains and sprains.

Another object of this invention is to provide a muscular thermal support sheath in which the interior surfaces of the sheath and the pads carried thereby are covered with a lining for the two-fold purpose: (1) the lining provides reinforcement against tearing of the sheath, and (2,) the lining serves as a buffer between the sheath-pad arrangement and the wearers skin to preclude the latter from directly contacting with the rubber and thus protect wearers who are allergic to rubber.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. The novel features will be set forth in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the right thigh of a wearer, looking at the outside or lateral aspect of the thigh, with one of my muscular thermal support sheaths applied thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of FIGURE 1, with part of the sheath being shown in section; and

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the plane 33' of FIGURE 2.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed Description Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown a resilient sheath indicated generally at A, which is dimensioned to be applied over a member of a wearer, and being contoured to enclose the member B in embracing relation therewith. For the purpose of illustration, the member B has been disclosed as being the thigh of a wearer of the sheath. The thigh extends upwardly from the knee to the hip.

The sheath A is made of a rubber product, such as foam rubber or foam neoprene, serving as an insulation to retain body heat which, in effect, causes adjacent muscle structure of the enclosed member B to be more relaxed and less susceptible to pulling, strains and sprains.

It will be noted from FIGURES 2 and 3 that a lining 11 covers the inner surface of the sheath to reinforce the latter against tearing. The lining 11 provides a buffer between the rubber of the sheath A and the wearers Patented June 1, 1953 skin to preclude the latter from directly contacting the rubber of the sheath for protecting the skin of a person who is allergic to contact with rubber or neoprene.

As clearly illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3, inclusive, a front pad C is secured to the interior surface of the sheath A in a position to support the quadriceps muscle group in the front or interior aspect 12 of the thigh. Moreover, a rear pad D is secured to the interior surface of the sheath A to support the biceps or ham string muscles group in the rear or posterior aspect 13 of the thigh. Both of these pads have sufficient width to extend partially around the inside or mesial aspect 14 and the outside or lateral aspect 15 of the thigh.

The resilient pads C and D are made of a rubber product, such as foam rubber or foam neoprene, to provide directional support for their respective muscle group to restrain the muscles toward their normal or passive positions.

The inner surfaces of the pads C and D are covered with linings 16 (see FIGURE 3), providing buffers between the pads and the wearers skin for the same reason as the lining 1-1 of the sheath A previously mentioned, that is, to prevent the skin from directly contacting with the rubber of the pads. These linings are made of material to absorb perspiration.

The linings 11 and 16 may be made from cotton knit jersey; nylon jersey; Banlon or non-tear foam, nylon lined neoprene. Of course, other suitable fabrics may be used.

It will be appreciated that although I have shown my muscular thermal support sheath as being applied to the thigh, it could be made for any other member of the wearer, with at least one pad being provided for supporting a preselected muscle.

The sheath A may be fashioned from sheet material, with a strip 17 of foam rubber, or the like, cemented over its abutting edges 18 (see FIGURE 3).

I claim:

1. In a muscular thermal support sheath:

(a) a resilient sheath dimensioned to be applied over the thigh of a wearer, and being contoured to enclose the thigh in embracing relation therewith;

(b) the sheath being made of a rubber product serving as an insulation to retain body heat which, in eiiect, causes adjacent muscle structure of the thigh to be more relaxed and less susceptible to pulling, strains and sprains;

(c) a front pad secured to the interior surface of the sheath in a position to support the quadriceps muscle group in the anterior aspect of the thigh;

(d) a rear pad secured to the interior surface of the sheath in a position to support the biceps or ham string muscle group in the posterior aspect of the thigh;

(e) both pads being made of a rubber product to provide directional support for their respective muscle group to restrain the muscles toward their normal or passive positions.

2. The muscular thermal support sheath, as defined in claim 1;

(f) and in which the inner surfaces of the sheath and the pads are covered with reinforcing linings providing buffers between the rubber of the sheath-pads arrangement and the Wearers skin to prevent the latter from directly contacting the rubber of the sheathpads arrangement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schultz June 16, 1953 Morrison Nov. 4, 1958 See 

1. IN A MUSCULAR THERMAL SUPPORT SHEATH: (A) A RESILIENT DIMENSIONED TO BE APPLIED OVER THE TIGH OF A WEARER, AND BEING CONTOURED TO ENCLOSE THE HIGH IN EMBRACING RELATION THEREWITH; (B)THE SHEATH BEING MADE OF A RUBBER PRODUCT SERVING AS AN INSULATION TO RETAIN BODY HEAT WHICH, IN EFFECT, CAUSES ADJACENT MUSCLE STRUCTURE OF THE THIGH TO BE MORE RELAXED AND LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO PULLING, STRAINS AND SPRAINS; (C) A FRONT PAD SECURED TO THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE SHEATH IN A POSITION TO SUPPORT THE QUADRICEPS MUSCLE GROUP IN THE ANTERIOR ASPECT OF THE THIGH; (E) BOTH PADS BEING MADE OF A RUBBER PRODUCT TO PROVIDE DIRECTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE MUSCLE GROUP TO RESTRAIN THE MUSCLES TOWARD THEIR NORMAL OR PASSIVE POSITIONS. (E) BOTH PADS BEING MADE OF A RUBBER PRODUCT TO PROVIDE DIRECTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE MUSCLE GROUP TO RESTRAIN THE MUSCLES TOWARD THEIR NORMAL OR PASSIVE POSITIONS.
 2. THE MUSCULAR THERMAL SUPPORT SHEATH, AS DEFINED IN CLAIM 1; (F) AND IN WHICH THE INNER SURFACES OF THE SHEATH AND THE PADS ARE COVERED WITH REINFORCING LINING PROVIDING BUFFERS BETWEEN THE RUBBER OF THE SHEATH-PADS ARRANGEMENT AND THE WEARER''S SKIN TO PREVENT THE LATTER FROM DIRECTLY CONTACTING THE RUBBER OF THE SHEATHPADS ARRANGEMENT. 